Energy Recovery Ventilation Lets the Fresh Air In

During the colder months, many Cincinnati homeowners take precautions to seal leaks around their home. But when houses are sealed up tight, poor air quality can become an issue, making ventilation an important consideration. Winter is not the time to throw open the windows to let the fresh air in, so some form of mechanical ventilation system is required. That’s when energy recovery ventilation comes into play.

Energy recovery ventilation systems use a heat exchanger to remove heat from warm air and transfer that heat to cold air. In the winter, these heat recovery ventilators (HRVs) send warm, indoor air through the heat exchanger, then use the recovered warmth to help heat the cold air brought in from the outside. This process minimizes the amount of energy needed for heating and cooling, as it can recover a significant amount of the heat from the air going over the heat exchanger.

In summer, the process is reversed, with the heat removed from the warm outdoor air before circulating that air inside the home.

A second type of energy recovery ventilation system, an energy recovery ventilator (ERV), has the added ability to exchange water vapor as well as heat, allowing better control over a home’s humidity levels as well.

A whole-house ventilation system will keep the entire house supplied with fresh air through the use of fans and a series of air ducts. There are a variety of whole-house systems, including exhaust systems, which actively push air out of your home, and supply systems, which pull fresh air into your home.

HRV and ERV systems are more expensive to install and they do require more maintenance than other whole-home ventilation systems, but the savings in heating and cooling costs can make up the difference.